​Tamil Nadu polls 2026: Stalin’s key election promises take center stage as DMK unveils manifesto​

DMK puts women first in the 2026 manifesto, promising Rs. 2,000 per month for women instead of Rs. 1,000, easing the everyday stress of household budgets and medical bills for ordinary families.

Every eligible homemaker gets Rs. 8,000‑worth “Illa Tharasi” coupons to buy mixers, grinders, and small gadgets, so basic kitchen work feels less like a struggle and more like normal life.

The party pledges free laptops for about 35 lakh college students, turning poorly equipped homes into spaces where someone can attend online classes and apply for jobs without begging to borrow a phone.

The existing Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme is expanded to Class 8, so more children in government schools come to class with a proper meal in their stomach, not just notes in their bag.

DMK continues and refines the Pudhumai Penn and Tamil Pudhalvan‑style schemes, giving around Rs. 1,500 per month to 5 lakh youth, helping them avoid leaving school for temporary work.

The manifesto promises to build about 10 lakh new houses for farmers in 5 years replacing collapsing sheds and water‑logged rooms with basic, decent homes.

Farmers fare promised higher procurement prices, Rs. 3500 per quintal for paddy, and Rs. per tonne for sugarcane. Alongside this they have assured to setup free modern pump sets without meters to more than 20 lakh farmers receiving free electricity.

Health‑insurance cover is increased to up to Rs. 10 lakh annually for eligible families, benefiting 2 crore people.

The manifesto proposes free travel on state buses for women, connected to the Vidiyal Payanam‑style welfare framework, so that commuting for work, education, or medical visits becomes less of a financial burden on daily household budgets.

The manifesto promises that the state will work to attract Rs.18 lakh crore in foreign investment over five years, linked to plans for creating about 50 lakh new jobs.

The manifesto promises a major rural road push through a Rs.10,000 crore allocation, while cities are set to get full‑fledged CC roads, safer footpaths, more parks, and increased green cover, along with the building of 50 “Semmozhi Poonga” botanical gardens across Tamil Nadu.

The manifesto proposes to raise the monthly pension for differently abled persons from Rs. 2,500 to a higher level, and increase the maintenance allowance for severely affected individuals to Rs. 4,000 per month, aiming to provide more stable financial support for daily care and treatment.

All of this is packed into the DMK’s 2026 manifesto: no big talk about abolishing NEET or a fresh liquor‑ban, but a clear list of welfare, housing, health, education, and subsidy schemes aimed at making daily life easier for ordinary Tamil families.